Commercial Building Inspections

Buying a Commercial Building is a large financial investment…

You deserve to know exactly what you are buying.

• Financial Implications.
  1. A commercial building inspection is a critical tool for safeguarding your financial investment. By identifying potential structural or mechanical issues early, investors and business owners can avoid unexpected repair costs and maintain property value. These insights empower stakeholders to make data-driven decisions, ensuring the long-term profitability and marketability of their assets.
• Risk Management
  • Risk management is at the core of a successful investment or business operation. A thorough inspection uncovers hidden vulnerabilities, such as outdated systems or potential safety hazards, that could lead to costly downtime or liability issues. Proactively addressing these risks provides peace of mind and ensures your property operates at peak efficiency while minimizing surprises.
• Customized Reporting
  • Investors and business leaders need clear, actionable insights to guide their decisions. Customized inspection reports provide detailed assessments, including repair cost estimates and maintenance recommendations, tailored to your property’s needs. These reports help stakeholders prioritize improvements, budget effectively, and develop a strategic approach to property management.

Commercial Building Inspections include

• Structural Components:
  • Foundations, walls, roofs, and load-bearing elements.
• Exterior Features:
  • Parking lots, walkways, drainage systems, and exterior lighting.
• Interior Components:
  • Floors, ceilings, walls, doors, and windows.
• Electrical Systems:
  • Wiring, outlets, panels, and overall system capacity. Service condition and capacity, electrical raceways, lighting, outlets
• Plumbing Systems:
  • Water lines, drains, water heaters, and visible leaks.
• HVAC Systems:
  • Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning performance and efficiency.
• Roofing:
  • Condition, drainage, and potential for leaks or damage.
• Safety Features:
  • The presence of Emergency exits, fire alarms, sprinkler systems, and other safety compliance items. (We do not test these systems, but note the location and presence in the building)
• Phase 1 Environmental Assessments:
  • A Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) evaluates potential environmental liabilities associated with the property, such as contamination from hazardous substances or historical usage. This is particularly important for property buyers, lenders, and developers.
• SBA Phase 1 Environmental Assessments:
  • Required by the Small Business Administration (SBA) for certain commercial real estate loans, this assessment ensures the property complies with environmental regulations and avoids contamination risks that could affect its value or usability.
• Optional Services:
  • Environmental testing (mold, asbestos, radon), thermal imaging, or pest inspections.

Schedule Inspection

What is a Commercial Building Inspection?

A Commercial Building Inspection is a comprehensive evaluation of a commercial property’s condition and systems, conducted by a licensed and certified inspector. The goal is to identify potential issues, assess the building’s structural integrity, and ensure its systems function as intended. This process provides property owners, managers, investors, and buyers with essential insights to make informed decisions about maintenance, repairs, or purchases.v

Who Needs a Commercial Building Inspection?

• Buyers:
  • To understand the property’s condition before purchasing.
• Sellers:
  • To identify and address issues before listing the property.
• Property Managers:
  • To plan for maintenance and repairs.
• Investors:
  • To assess risks and opportunities for return on investment.

A commercial building inspection helps ensure the property is safe, functional, and in compliance with applicable standards. It also provides critical information for financial planning, negotiating deals, and avoiding costly surprises down the road.

Why Is It Important?

A commercial building inspection helps ensure the property is safe, functional, and in compliance with applicable standards. It also provides critical information for financial planning, negotiating deals, and avoiding costly surprises down the road.

What We Inspect:

• Office Buildings
• Corporate headquarters, co-working spaces, multi-tenant office complexes.
• Retail Stores
• Standalone stores, big-box retailers, boutique shops.
• Shopping Centers
• Strip malls, outlet malls, regional shopping malls.
• Restaurants
• Fast food, fine dining, casual dining, food courts.
• Hotels and Hospitality
• Luxury hotels, motels, boutique hotels, resorts.
• Industrial Warehouses
• Distribution centers, logistics facilities, cold storage units.
• Manufacturing Facilities
• Factories, production plants, assembly facilities.
• Medical Buildings
• Hospitals, clinics, dental offices, urgent care centers.
• Mixed-Use Developments
• Buildings with residential, retail, and office spaces combined.
• Educational Institutions
• Private schools, colleges, universities, training centers.
• Religious Facilities
• Churches, synagogues, mosques, and temples.
• Entertainment Venues
• Movie theaters, concert halls, casinos, arcades.
• Sports Facilities
• Gyms, stadiums, fitness centers, ice rinks.
• Multi-Family Residential
• Apartment complexes, condominiums, townhouses.
• Senior Living Communities
• Assisted living facilities, nursing homes, retirement communities.

• Parking Structures
• Multi-level parking garages, standalone parking lots.
• Gas Stations
• With or without convenience stores.
• Self-Storage Units
• Indoor or outdoor storage facilities.
• Data Centers
• Server farms, cloud computing facilities.
• Call Centers
• Customer support and operational hubs.
• Laboratories
• Research facilities, testing centers, scientific labs.
• Daycare Centers
• Childcare facilities, early learning centers.
• Auto Dealerships
• Showrooms, service centers, used car lots.
• Funeral Homes
• Crematoriums, memorial services, chapels.
• Animal Care Facilities
• Veterinary clinics, animal shelters, pet boarding facilities.
• Farm and Agricultural Buildings
• Greenhouses, barns, processing facilities.
• Recreational Facilities
• Golf courses, country clubs, theme parks.
• Government Buildings
• Courthouses, city halls, police and fire stations.
• Libraries and Museums
• Cultural centers, public and private libraries, art museums.
• Transportation Facilities
• Bus terminals, airports, train stations.

Major Inspection Components:

Thermal Scan Inspection

Thermal Imaging, also called infrared imaging or thermography, is an advanced, non-invasive technology that allows the inspector to show homeowners things about their homes that can’t be revealed using conventional inspection methods.  

An infrared inspection can help identify issues such as:

• Moisture Intrusion
• Heating/Cooling Loss
• Electrical Hot Spots
• Insulation Issues

Our Commercial Building inspectors use this as a tool when inspecting your home to help detect issues that may not be visible to the human eye. This tool allows the inspectors to determine temperature differences, but it will not allow them to see physically behind/within a wall.

Roof Inspection

The inspector will note the overall condition of the roof and any recommended repairs or replacements within the full building inspection report. The inspection will include:

• Drone inspection _{^{(weather or location permitting)}}
• An evaluation of the roof-covering materials
• The gutters and downspouts
• The plumbing stacks/exposed vents
• The flashing
• Any skylights
• The chimney, and other roof penetrations.

Comprehensive Electrical Inspections:

The Commercial Building electrical inspection. This inspection helps identify potential hazards, such as faulty wiring or damaged components, that could lead to electrical failures, fires, or safety risks. Evaluating Your Building’s Key Electrical Components, Including:

• The main service disconnect
• Panel boards 
• Over-current protection devices (circuit breakers and fuses)
• Service grounding
• Light switches
• Lighting fixtures and receptacles
• All ground-fault circuit interrupter receptacles
• The circuit breakers are observed and deemed to be GFCI’s using  tester.

HVAC Inspection

Our Commercial Building Inspections include an HVAC inspection, which our inspectors will examine the heating and cooling system using normal operating controls.​The inspection report will include anything in need of correction, any components of the system that did not operate correctly, and if the HVAC system was deemed inaccessible. Our inspectors examine:

• The interior and exterior HVAC units
• The coils, and filter
• Thermostat
• Exposed ductwork and refrigerant lines

​

Plumbing Inspection

Our plumbing inspection covers and includes the main water supply shut-off valve, the main fuel supply shut-off valve, the water heating equipment, interior water supply, including all fixtures and faucets, all toilets for proper operation by flushing all sinks, tubs and showers for functional drainage.
Inspectors evaluate deficiencies in the water supply by viewing the functional flow in two fixtures operated simultaneously.
​
​Deficiencies in the installation of hot and cold water faucets, mechanical drain stops that were missing or did not operate, and toilets that were damaged, had loose connections to the floor, were leaking, or had tank components that did not operate will be noted in the report.

PHASE 1 ENVIRONMENTAL INSPECTION

A Phase 1 Environmental Assessment (ESA) is a critical evaluation of a property to identify potential environmental risks or contamination. It involves a thorough review of historical records, a physical site inspection, and an analysis of surrounding areas to detect hazards like underground storage tanks, hazardous waste, or previous industrial use. Often required for SBA loans and real estate transactions, a Phase 1 ESA protects buyers and lenders by uncovering environmental liabilities that could lead to costly cleanups or legal issues. This process provides the information needed to make informed investment decisions and ensures compliance with environmental standards.
An Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) is a detailed investigation of a property to identify potential environmental risks, such as contamination or hazardous materials, that could impact its value or usage. Commonly conducted during real estate transactions, ESAs assess historical property use, site conditions, and potential liability issues. They are essential for protecting buyers, lenders, and developers by ensuring compliance with environmental standards and avoiding costly cleanup obligations. The process often involves two phases: Phase 1 focuses on identifying risks through research and inspection, while Phase 2 involves sampling and testing to confirm contamination or hazards.

Some common items NOT included in a standard Commercial Building inspection are:

• Cosmetic issues (floor coverings, paint, trim, etc)
• Environmental hazards (radon, molds, asbestos, etc) BUT we do offer separate services for many of these items.
• Function of Security systems, humidifiers, sprinkler systems, septic systems, water softeners, Smoke detectors, central van systems
• Sewer lines and wells (But these can be added if requested)
• Presence/absence of rodents/termites/insects/pests (But these can be added if requested)
• Any systems that are not visible and/or accessible.

Many of these items can be requested as additional inspection services, just mention your interest when scheduling your home inspection and we will be able to add those services for you.